Hydro-electric storing and distributing system.



F. C. PERKINS. HYDRO-ELECTRIC STORING AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM. I

Patented July 6,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAY I8, I9I2.-

WiTjNEEIEI ES NTD R- ATTDR YSI F. Q. PERKINS, HYDRO-ELECTRIC STORING ANDDISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

I I APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, I912- 1,145,508. I Patented July 6, 1915.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"A uRNEYs STATES PATENT OFFICE.

F ANK c. reams, or nurrano, NEW YORK, Assr enon. or ONE-HALF fs'rocx'ron, or BUFFALO, NEW roan.

To al l-whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK C. PERKINS, a-

citizenof the United States, residing at Bufl'alo, inthe county of ErieandState of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in HydroElectric Storing and DistributingSystems, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a hydro-electric storing and distributingsystem for heating,

lighting and power purposes.

1 It is the object of this invention to proj'vide meanswhereby-theenergy of a water .fall 'maybe economically converted into 15 the day when there'is a minimum consumpelectric energy at night or atsuch hours of tion of power and then changed into heat energy and storedin water heat storage tanks for use during the-day time or at such othertimes when the maximum demand occurs, for heating, or reconverted intoelec tricity for lighting or power service.

It is well known that large. quantities of electric power. cannot becheaply and economically stored in electric storage batteries owing tothe excessive loss due to inefliciency of the electro -che nical system,excessive -first *cost battery'aand installation, and the heavy cost ofmaintenance and depreciation.

y invention takes advantage of the immense heat absorbing andstoragepowerof water which is well knownto be greater "than that of any othersubstanceper cubic foot. Hot water raised to a temperature of 212 F.stores in it heat energy equivalent to raising'the weight of the waterseveralthousand feet, which may be given up 1n By this hydro-electricheat storage sys tem, low pressure steam turbo-electric gencrating unitsof, say, 10,000 kilowatts capacity can be used without difliculty toreproduce'electric current from the heat storage watertanks- I The waterpower electric plants -are usu-- ally called upon for very'little powerfrom m'qlnight, when the lighting load and rails Specification'ofLetters Patent.

and utilizing such I steam.

To Lewis HYDRO-ELECTRIC sro' mve am) nrsrarnnrme- SYSTEM.

road load drops 01f, until morning when the rallroad and power loadscomeon again.

This hydro-electric heat storage and distributing system would thereforesave the energy of the .water power during light load which cannot beutilized economically by any other storage system and would utilizethls, energyfor taking care of. the peak of the load, thereby avoidingwaste of power power to the best advantage.

In carrying this hydro-electric heat storing and, distributing systeminto effect, a

steam turbine ispreferably utilized in its organization becausethe sameconstitutes an ideal ,power generator from low pressure A high vacuumcondenser is' also Patented July 6, 1915.. Application filed Ma 18,1912. Serial No. 698,246.

preferably employed in connection with the low pressure steam turbinefor the purpose of reducing the boiling point of the water to less thanhalf the number of degrees required at atmospheric pressure, so that hotwater .at 212 F. or higher if the tank is under high pressure, gives upsteam for heating systems or power for turbo-electric generators.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 2' sheets: Figure 1 1sadiagrammatic representation of one embodiment ofmy invention. Fig. 2 isa fragmentary sectional elevation showing another embodiment of parts ofmy invention. -Fig; 3 is a. horizontal section showing a storage tankfor heated water equipped with electric heating means different fromthose shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical section showinganother way of arranging the hot. water storage tanks in accordance withmy invention.

Similar 'haracters of reference indicate corresponding-parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 represents a hydraulic motor which is driven bythe energy. of water in motion. As shown in this figure the water motoris of the well known turbine type and adapted to be driven by fallingwater. 2 represents a main electric generator which may be connecteddirectly.

with the water turbine, as shown in Fig. 1,

.or in any other suitable way. 3 represents a step-up transformer whichis electrically connected with the generator at the hydraulic powerplant, 4 a step-down transformerlocated at the heat storage anddistributing plant, and 5 the lines wherebythe electric current istransmitted from the step-up to the step-down transformer.

At the heat storage and distributing plant, means are provided forheating water by the electric current received from the main generator 2through the medium of the transformers and transmission line and forutilizing the heat. in various ways for heating, or after reconversioninto electricity -for lighting or power purposes. The means for heatingthe water by the electric current may be varied and the pressure atwhich the heated water is stored may also be varied. In Fig. 1 of thedrawings is shown a boiler or tank 6 which is adapted to hold water at atemperatureof 200 F. and at atmospheric pressure, another boiler or tank7 is adapted ,to hold water at 212 F. or over and under 10-15 lbs.pressure, and a battery of three boilers or tanks 8, 9, 10 adapted tohold water at about 20 lbs. and 250 F. lbs.' to 100 lbs. pressure andabout 400. F. or 100 to'300 or more lbs. pressure and 400 F. or more.

The water in the tanks 6 and 9 is heated by means of plates 11, 12-arranged respectively within these tanks, similar to plate waterrhefostats and connected with the service line 13 of the ste -downtransformer,

the water in the tanks j and 8 is heated by coils 14, 15," arrangedrespectively, in the tanks and connected with the service line, whilethe water in tank 10 is heated 'by hydro-electric transformer comprisingan upright metal heating pipe or leg 16 j connected at the upper andlower ends with the 'upperand lower parts of the tank and forming thesecondary of a transformer, a laminated or transformer core ring 17 ofiron passing with one side around the heating pipe and'forming the coreof the transformer, and a coil of insulating w1re'18 wound around a partof said core and con nected with the service line and forming theprimary of the transformer. 'The water 1n' the tanks-6 and 9 is heatedby the passage of the electric current between the. comanion terminalplates. of the heaters 11, 12, intanks 7 8, the water. is heated by therise in temperature of the coils 14., 15 as the electric current passesthrou h the same, and in tank 10 the water is heate in the pllpe andrenotraverses the coil 18.

caused to circulate in this tank by t e heating of the pipe 16 byinduction as the cur- The hot water inthe tank 6 maybe withdrawn'from'the lower part thereof by a pipe 19 containing a valve 20 forthermo-chemical, electro-chemical or manufacturing purposes, or the samemay be. cigculated by a p1 e 21 containing a valve 22 and a pum 23 orcarrying the heated water to and om any place to be heated.

The steam in the upperpart of the tank 6 the efliciency of the same.

.as firele'ss motors. water may be supplied from thetank 9 by lower partof the. p

I so as to form practically one directly connected therewith and thecurrent' from this generator may be utilized :for supplying electriclights 28, electric motors 28 or other'purposes. The exhaust steam fromthe turbine 26 may be conducted from the latter to a condenser 29 andthe water of condensation may be carried from this condenser back to thelower part of thetankl6 by a return pipe 31 containing a valve 31 .ormay be delivered elsewhere through a branch ipe 33 containing a valve 34The eifect'o this condenser is to create a vacuum thereln, this beingefi'ected for instance by a vacuum pump 32 connected'with the condenser,as shown, or in any other suitable j manner. If desired, the heatedcirculating water of the condenser may bewithdrawn irom the return pipe30 by a branch pipe 33,

containing a valve 34 for mdustrial or other purposes or connected withwaste.

Owing to the greater pressure in the tank 7 the steam in the same-may beused in a low pressure steam heating system for which purpose this tank.may be provided with a 35 oontainin a valve 36. Steam service piwithdrawn rom this tank by a may also .pipe 37 containing a valve 38 andconducted to a steam turbine '39 which operates an electric generator40.. A condenser 41 may alsobe associated with thelast mentioned iturbine engine for the purpose of increasing From the tank 8 steam maybe supplied. by a pipe 42 containing a valve 43 to a high pressure steamturbine 44 which operates an electric enerator 45 or other machine andwhich 'scharge's its exhaust through a pipe 46 into the tank 7 of lowerinternal pressure so that the heat units still remainm in the exhaustwater will be saved.

he water in the tanks 9. and 10'is superheated and the same maytherefore be to advantage -for 0 rating what are known or instance,superheated a ipe 47 "containing .a valve v48 to, the contamer 49 of themotor of a'firelesslocomotive and superheated water may be supplied fromthe tank 10 bya pipe 50 containmg a'valve 51 to the container wot amotor of a firelessboat. The tanks 8, 9 and 10 maybe permanentlyconnected with each other bypi'pes 53, 54 11st space in case some highpressure is usedin all, but mustbe separated by valves 53, 54 in the'pes53, 54, if it'is desired to use these boilers independently. a

. If the'pressure in the tanks 8, 9 and 10" should exceed a redeterminedlimit the same may blow-o through 'a pipe 55 connected 'at its inlet end.with the tank 8 and provided with a safety valve 56. In order to avoidwasting the steam and water which escapes. at this time from the tanks8, 9 and 10, the outlet end of the pipe 55 is connected with the tank 7which is of lower internal pressure and therefore capable of receivingthe excess pressure from the tanks 8, 9 and 1 i If desired, thisinvention may be combined with an ordinary fuel heated boiler as anauxiliary to the latter, such an application being shown in Fig. 2 inwhich the boiler 67 may be provided with a furnace 67 of well known formfor heating the water in this boiler. In this organization the electricwater heating device 68, 69, 70 supplements the effect of the ordinaryfurnace heater 67 In like manner the tank7 is connected with the tank 6by a pipe 57 containing a safety valve 58 which opens from the tank 7 tothe tank 6, thereby enablingany excess pressure in the tank 7 to escapeto the tank 6 which is of lower -internal pressure and thereby effectinga saving in heat units. If the tank 7 requires feed water the same maybe charged from the tank 6 by a pipe 59 which pipe and pump 94 or watermay be pumped connects these tanks and which contains a pump 60 and avalve 61. In like manner the tanks 8, 9 and 10 when requiring water maybe fed from the tank 7 by pipes 62, 62 62 connecting the tank 7 with thetanks 8, 9 and 10. and containing a pump 63 and valves In Fig. 2 threetanks 65, 66 and 67 are connected with each other in substantially thesame manner'as tanks 6, 7 and. 8, said .tanks65, 66 and 67 being adaptedto hold hot water at atmospheric pressure, 15 lbs. pressure and 150 lbs.pressure, respectively,

also tank 66 may be fed with the necessary water from atmosphericpressure tank 65 by from tank 66 to tank67 by pump and pipe 93. Thewater in. the tank 67 is heated by a transformer having a water leg 68which forms the secondary and makes several turns around the core 69 ofthis transformer of which 70 is the primary instead of but a single turnaround the core, as shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, in this constructionthe high-pressure tank 67 may be supplied with feed water from theatmospheric pres sure tank 65 by a pipe 71 connecting these tanks andcontaining a valve 72 and pump 90. In this construction a high pressuresteam turbine 73 is represented as taking steam from thetank 67 andexhausting into the tank 66-,and a low pressure steam turbine 7-1 istaking steam from the tank 66 and exhausting into a condenser 77 whichlatter in turn discharges into the tank 65. r

If .desired, the water in the low pressure tank' 65 may be heated by atransformer comprising a metal water leg 76 communicating at its upperand lower ends with the interior of this tank, an iron core 75 which isembraced by the leg 76 forming the secondary and also by a coil 78forming the primary of the transformer, as shown in .Fig. 2.

Hot water may be carried from either of the tanks 65, 66 for. heating orother pur -with a cvlindrical tank .80 for heating the 66 and from thelatter into the tank 65 through a safety valve 92. Feed water may alsobe delivered from the tank 66into the tank 67 by a pump 93 andfrom thetank 65 into the tank 66 by a pump 94.

Fig. 4 shows a tier of tanks 81, 82, 83 arranged one above the other,for compactness in a building or inclosure' 84, said tanks be-' ingadapted to hold water at atmospheric pressure 15 lbs. pressure, and 150lbs. pressure or more, respectively. The atmospheric electricaltransformer water heater 89 and pumps 98, 99 are provided for deliveringtank 81 in' this instance is provided with an water from the tank 81into the tank 82 I and 83. Excess pressure in the tank 83 is permittedto blow off into the tank 82 by a safety valve 87 and excess pressure inthe tank 82 is permitted to blow-off into the tank 81 by a safety valve88. The water in the tanks 82 and 83 may be electrically heated invarious ways and steam and hot water utilized as desired. As shown, thetank 82 contains an electric heating coil 85 and tank 83 containselectric heating plate electrodes 85. I p

I claim as my invention:

The combination of a metal hot water storage tank having an annularwall, and a plurality of transformers arranged in a circumferential rowaround said tank. and each having a tubular secondary winding the endsof which communicate with the in- FRANK C. PERKINS. Witnesses:

' LEWIS S'rocKToN,

'Tnno. L. Porr.

Witness my hand this 13th day of May,

